RISE 2025
RISE @ ESC Congress 2025
Together With World Congress of Cardiology
28 August – Madrid
RISE @ ESC Congress 2025 was a full-day event dedicated to connecting women in cardiology with the organizations that support them for an inspiring day of professional development. Designed to empower women across medical specialties, RISE is a unique opportunity to develop essential non-clinical skills that drive career advancement.
For 2025, Women As One continued our partnership with the European Society of Cardiology and began a new partnership with the World Congress of Cardiology. The program once again shone a light on the critical theme of leadership, equipping participants with insights into the challenges and opportunities specific to their global regions. Attendees explored innovative strategies for success, gained invaluable mentorship opportunities, and strengthened their professional networks through the ever-expanding Women As One community.
Agenda
Program Directors Dr. Roxana Mehran, Dr. María Rubini, and Dr. Liesl Zühlke designed a dynamic agenda that delivered a truly global perspective on leadership. The program featured insightful discussions led by esteemed leaders in cardiology and business, as well as interactive coaching sessions and valuable opportunities for mentorship and networking.
With diverse perspectives from around the world, RISE equipped women in cardiology with the essential skills needed to forge their own leadership paths. Attendees left inspired, empowered, and ready to elevate their careers to the next level. Some of the key sessions from the conference included:
- The House of Cardiology Roundtable – A dynamic discussion on gender equity initiatives and commitments from leading cardiovascular professional societies.
- Heart Talk with the Global Community – A global panel highlighting regional opportunities for support and collaboration.
- Situational Strategies for Success – An interactive session led by a renowned Executive Coach, offering practical strategies to navigate everyday challenges.
- Speed Mentoring Sessions – A unique opportunity for 1-on-1 mentorship with a diverse panel of leaders in the field.
Faculty
Meet the distinguished faculty of RISE @ ESC Congress 2025, an inspiring group of global leaders in cardiology who brought a wealth of expertise, experience, and diverse perspectives to the program.
Dr. Carla Agatiello
Argentina
Dr. Nouf Alanazi
Saudi Arabia
Dr. Shrilla Banerjee
United Kingdom
Dr. Sarah Birkhoelzer
United Kingdom
Dr. Julia Brandts
Germany
Dr. Barbara Casadei
United Kingdom
Flávia Geraldes
United Kingdom
Dr. Alessia Gimelli
Italy
Neil Johnson
Ireland
Dr. Vijay Kunadian
United Kingdom
Dr. Gregory Lim
United Kingdom
Professor Thomas F. Lüscher
United Kingdom
Dr. Sonia Muliyil
United Kingdom
Borjana Pervan
Switzerland
Doris Pommi
Germany
Dr. Sarita Rao
India
Jean-Francois Riffaud
France
Dr. María Rubini
Spain
Dr. Clara Saldariagga
Colombia
Dr. Antonia Sambola
Spain
Dr. Nancy Sweitzer
United States
Dr. Pam Taub
Italy
Dr. Carol Pitcher-Towner
United Kingdom
Dr. Faiez Zannad
France
Dr. Liesl Zühlke
South Africa
Session Summaries
Step Up and Speak Out: Lessons from Women Leaders in Cardiology
Our Partners RISEWomen leaders in cardiology share lessons on mentorship, advocacy, and inclusion from RISE @ ESC Congress 2025 for women in cardiology.
“The House of Cardiology is definitely not broken.”
RISEInsights from global leaders to women in cardiology given during the House of Cardiology roundtable at RISE @ ESC Congress 2025.
Equity in Cardiology: Trailblazers and Beyond
RISEGlobal women leaders at RISE @ ESC 2025 discussed mentorship, allyship, and leadership as keys to achieving lasting equity in cardiology.
What You Said About RISE 2025
I believe that it was really valuable for me to participate in RISE because I was able to see women at the point of their career where where I would like to be when I become a specialist in cardiology. So you can just admire and listen to very inspiring women and then think about it later on and try to figure out your own pathway.
Dr. Kamila Florek
Medical Doctor, Institute of Heart Diseases, Wroclaw, Poland
RISE 2025 Attendee
Events like this are important to really inspire women and to let them see what other women in the field are doing. Meeting with people from the House of Cardiology and leaders in cardiology who are women inspires us and motivates women like me and many others, especially the younger generation to get into cardiology.
Dr. Michele Friday
Director of Women’s Heart Program, King’s Daughters, USA
RISE 2024 and 2025 Attendee
If you’re considering going to RISE 2026, I would say definitely do that. It’s going to give you a different perspective and the opportunity to talk about feelings and behaviors and situations that emerge from our everyday lives
Dr. Georgia Karmioti
Cardiology Resident, Nicosia G.H., Cyprus
RISE 2025 Attendee
I think RISE is really important because, as a woman from a lower-middle-income country, getting inspired and learning from other women and other leaders is really crucial in our journey.
Dr. Novi Yanti Sari
Head of Cardio-oncology, Dr. M. Hosein General Hospital, Indonesia
RISE 2024 and 2025 Attendee
RISE is important for me as a female cardiologist and a leader in this field. As a mid-career cardiologist, I’m still trying to find a balance and trying to work out what’s important, what do I do, where to go from here, how do I make a difference now, and where is the lift that I could do? And I thought I’d come and listen to the leaders
Dr. Swati Mukherjee
Interventional Cardiologist and Researcher, Cabrini and Alfred Health, Australia
RISE 2024 and 2025 Attendee
This is my first time attending a Women As One event and I came because I really wanted to learn from other women, to further my career in cardiology and to gain from other people’s experiences and challenges and reflect on my own career.
Dr. Sarah Moharem Elgamal
Consultant Cardiologist, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, United Kingdom
RISE 2025 Attendee
These kinds of programs and communities are key to empowering women in science and in our clinical work. It’s critical to mentor other generations and show them our barriers and our strengths, to become the best we can.
Dr. Leticia Fernandez Friera
Head of Cardiology, HM Hospitals, Spain
RISE 2025 Attendee
RISE @ ESC Congress 2025 sponsors
Thank you to the generous sponsors that supported RISE @ ESC Congress 2025 together with World Congress of Cardiology.
Why sign up to our Community
The Pulse is a global professional community explicitly tailored for women cardiologists across diverse medical specialties.
Join us to embark on a journey of professional growth, collaboration, and empowerment. Together, let’s redefine the future of medicine.
Benefits and Opportunities
- Access tailored professional programs
- Unlock professional opportunities for thought leadership
- Lead in clinical trials and committees
- Gain access to a global network of women cardiologists
- Work with industry to develop your career and create better patient outcomes
